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Man celebrates first night home after murder conviction overturned

A man who had spent 21 years behind bars for a murder he says he did not commit was released from prison Monday after a Massachusetts judge threw out his sentence, ruling that the prosecution's case was flawed.

A man who had spent 21 years behind bars for a murder he says he did not commit was released from prison Monday after a Massachusetts judge threw out his sentence, ruling that the prosecution's case was flawed.

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Updated: 11:31 PM EDT May 18, 2015

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WEBVTT NO FINAL DECISION WILL BE MADE UNTIL SEPTEMBER, THE DEADLINE FOR FILING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE. TONIGHT ONLY ON FIVE A CONVICTED KILLER IS SPENDING HIS FIRST NIGHT HOME. HIS LIFE SENTENCE TOSSED OUT. THAT'S THE FAMILY CELEBRATING FREEDOM WITH A LOBSTER DINNER AFTER SPENDING 21 YEARS EATING PRISON MEALS. ONLY ON NEWS FIVE WE WERE THERE WITH HIM AND LIVE. MARY. YEAH, HE HAS MORE LEGAL BATTLES AHEAD BUT TONIGHT HE ATE HIS FIRST RESTAURANT MEAL IN TWO DECADES WITH HIS TEAM OF BELIEVERS. HE ENJOYED HIS FIRST TASTE OF FREEDOM IN 21 YEARS. WHAT'S IN YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW? I FEEL GREAT INSIDE, YOU KNOW. I'M ENJOYING MY FAMILY AND OTHER PEOPLE AND FRIENDS, PEOPLE WHO HELPED ME OUT TO GET OUT. HE'S BEEN IN PRISON FOR A MURDER HE HAS ALWAYS INSISTED HE DIDN'T COMMIT. THE 1994 SHOOTING DEATH. A TEAM SPENT TEN YEARS STUDYING THE CASE AND QUICKLY CAME TO QUESTION THE CONVICTION. BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM. THERE WAS VERY WEAK I.D. AND IT WAS CLEAR JUST FROM READING THE RECORDS THAT ANGEL DID NOT MATCH THE DESCRIPTIONS THAT WAS GIVEN BY THIS EYEWITNESS THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER. A JUDGE AGREED THE TRIAL WAS UNFAIR AND TODAY FORMALLY VACATED HIS MURDER CONVICTION. I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE THAT TOOK THEIR TIME TO HELP MY FATHER AND EVERYBODY THAT BELIEVED IN HIM. AFTERWARDS ANGEL PASSED OUT JUNIOR MINTS. AND HUGGED THE STUDENTS WHO HELPED FREE HIM. HE MAY HAVE TO FACE A NEW TRIAL, BUT FOR THE MOMENT BEING VINDICATED MEANS EVERYTHING. DID YOU EVER LOSE HOPE? NEVER, NEVER. ALWAYS HAD HOPE? YEAH. THE DAY OFFICE HAS UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH WHETHER TO APPEAL THE JUDGE'S DECISION TO

Man celebrates first night home after murder conviction overturned

A man who had spent 21 years behind bars for a murder he says he did not commit was released from prison Monday after a Massachusetts judge threw out his sentence, ruling that the prosecution's case was flawed.